BOSTON – With little discussion the Boston City Council moved Mayor Michelle Wu’s proposed ordinance to empower police in the area known as Mass and Cass to a committee which will hold a public hearing before the Council takes a vote.
The Mayor asked the Council last week to move with urgency on her strategy to “double down” in the area, allow police to remove tents and tarps and offer people services and housing.
“I’ve seen enough of the tents, it’s time to take them down,” City Councilor Michael Flaherty said as he asked for a rules suspension to take an immediate vote.
But the Council moved the proposal to the Committee on Government Operations which is chaired by Councilor Ricardo Arroyo who says there are too many questions about how the ordinance will be enforced and wants to hear from the Mayor and advocates.
“I would personally have an issue if this only furthers people’s contact with the criminal justice system without some evidence of the program, money or resources being spent on the second half which is long term treatment and care,” said Councilor Arroyo.
He also has questions about legality since the Mayor already bulldozed the area a year and a half ago, the tents returned, and there were civil liberties challenges.
City Councilor Erin Murphy questions if the Mayor even needs the ordinance.
“I think we have rules in place already to take the tents down and cleanup the illegal behavior that’s been down there for way too long.”
Mayor Wu’s strategy calls for police to be able to remove the make-shift structures and those living in them would be offered housing and services including thirty short-term shelter beds. And with a proposal for police to monitor the changes in mobile units, the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Union has its own questions.
“We will provide policing on the street but I just don’t know how we can be everywhere when we’re short hundreds of officers,” said Larry Calderone.
What everyone agrees is that there is urgency, but less agreement on how to get there.
“We need beds, treatment and recovery. We need to help the poor souls who are incapable of making decisions for themselves,” said Councilor Flaherty.
Councilor Arroyo is looking at late September or early October for the hearing to give the Mayor and advocates time to prepare, insisting his committee won’t be dragging its feet.
